Electric railway



(No, Model.)

B. M. HUNTER. ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

No. 426,382. Patented Apr. 22'. I890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE:

RUDOLPH M. HUNTER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO THE THOMSON-HOUSTON ELECTRIC COMPANY,

OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

-ELECTRIG RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 426,382, dated April22, 1890.

Original application filed September 23, 1886, Serial No, 214,309.Divided and this application filed May 15, 1889. Serial No.

- 310,855. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RUDOLPH M. HUNTER, of the city and county ofPhiladelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement inElectric Railways, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to electric railways; and it consists ofcertain improvements, which are fully set forth in the following speci-I o fication, and shown in the accompanying d rawings, which form a partthereof.

This application, Case 96, is a division of my application, Serial No.214,309, of September 23, 1886. I

r 5 The invention relates to electric railways, in which a suspendedconductor is arranged along the railway, and embodies anelectrically-propelled car, having the electric motor or motorssupported upon the axles preferzo ably independent of the car-body,which rests on springs in the ordinary way, a collecting arm preferablycarried above the roof of the car and making a traveling contact withthe under side of the conductor, and flexible or 2 5 giving connectionsfrom the collector to the motor, including, if desired, the regulatingapparatus and any electric translating device, which are desirablysecured to the car-body. In this construction of railway I so construct3c the collecting device and suspended conductor that there is anautomatic compensation for any variation in the altitude of either. Itis immaterial what the details of construction may be, as any type ofmotor may be em- 3 5 ployed, and such motor may be supported by theaxles or their boxes in any manner desired, so longas it retains itsconnection with the axle independent of the movement of the car-body,and any form of collecting device 0 may be used which meets therequirements of the invention.

The object of my invention is to enable the motor or motors to have apositive connection with the axles, so as to remain in connection forpositive-power transmission, as distinguished from chains and belts, (inwhich latter vision for maintaining a continuous contact with thesuspended conductor. By this means the vertical movement of the car-bodyand its collector does not affect the perfect working of the motor anddriving-gear, and where the conductor is suspended above the car theheight of the car is utilized in reaching the conductor and allows ofthe collector being reduced to small size and weight. These are found ofthe utmost practical importance in the construction and operation ofrailways of this class. The flexible conductor-connections are carriedby the car and connect the collector with the motor and include theregulator and allow for the rise and fall of the car-body in relation tothe motor.

My object is also in such a railway to provide lighting and batterydevices on, the carbody with circuits to supply current from theconductors leading from the collector.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of an electric railwayembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a cross section through the suspendedconductor and shows the upper part of the collector, and Fig. 3 is acrosssection showing a modification of the collector applicable to myinvention.

A are the posts arranged along the side of the railway-track A whichmay, if desired, form the return-conductor B.

The supply-conductor is B, and is sus pended from the poles either bycounterbalancing-arms B or otherwise, as desired.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the conductor B is normally suspended from above, so asto present a clean or unobstructed under surface for the collector wheelor shoe.

In the case of Fig. 3 the normal condition of the conductor B is to restin the V-shaped frames A but when raised by the collectorwheel 0*, asshown, it presents a clean or unobstructed under surface.

The collector-wheel C is pivoted to the up per or free end of theupwardly-extending arm O, which may be made in any suitable manner andarranged vertically,horizontally, or at any other angle.v I11 Figs. 4and 5 this arm is shown as adjustable, and while indicated as pressingthe collector-wheel upward against the under side of the conductor thecollector might be inverted and made to run in contact with theconductor it put at a lower elevation.

In my application of which this is a division the suspended conductorwas shown as under the surface in a conduit, above the surface under thecar, at an elevation, but

not above the car-body, and also above the car-body.

The car-body Ois supported on the axles by the usual springs I and isfree to ride up and down upon the axles.

Carried upon the axles or their boxes is a frame D, upon which themotors D are secured and by it journaled to the axles (1. There may beone or two motors, as desired, and one maybe used for each axle.

The car-wheels are marked D 011 the axles d are secured worm-wheels D',with which worms D on the motor-shafts mesh.

Any other mechanical power-transmitting gearing may be used, if desired.

E E E are the motor-circuits on the car and include thereversing-switches E for each motor and resistance-changers e e for therespective motors.

The regulating apparatus is preferably supported on the car-body, asshown. These circuits form a flexible connection between thevertically-movable collector and the motors supported by the axles, andpermit any ver tical movement of the car-body without includes thesecondary-battery cells E and a switch. This battery may be thus chargedfrom the line and subsequently used for lighting the car or operatingthe motors on parts of the railway not supplied with conductors.

The arrows indicate the passage of the current.

Any other translating device may be connected in circuit with thecircuit on the car between the collector and motors. It is evident thatthe motors may be independently controlled, if desired.

The collector-wheel may besim ply a grooved wheel or other contactdevice suitable to the purpose. As shown it is in the form of adeeply-grooved wheel, in the groove of which the conductor fits and isguided, and the Wheel in turn thereby guided on the conduct-or andfollowing its direction.

It is evident that both the outgoing and return conductors B and B maybesuspended (see dotted lines, Fig. 1) and two current devices be used tocomplete the circuit through the car.

It will be seen that broadly considered the collector is supported onsprings through the frame-work of the car-body and is free to rise andfall independently of the motors which are carried on the axles.

The current-regulating apparatus may be located or connect with eitherend of the car. The car may be run in either direction.

As before stated, I do not confine myself to the details here shown, asthey may be moditied in various ways Without departing from the spiritofmy invention.

In this application I do not claim the specific form of collector,arrangement of motors, or support of the conductor, as these mattersform subj ect-matter of other applicationsto Wit, Serial Nos. 214,309,of 1886; 239,930, of 1887; 264,456, of 1888; 268,359, of 1888; 290,302,of 1888, and, 304,499, of 1889.

Any matters shown but not claimed are not dedicated to the public, butform subjectmatter of said applications.

I Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is v 1. The combination of a railway-track, asuspended conductor arranged along' said track, a car running upon saidtrack, an electric motor supported upon the axle of said car, acurrent-collecting device carried by the car-body and making contactwith said suspended conductor, a motor-circuit carried on the car-bodyconnecting the collecting device with the motor, and current-controllingdevices to control the current in said motor-circuit.

2. Th combination of a railway-track, a suspended conductor arrangedalong said track, a car running upon said track and having its bodysupported on springs, an electric motor supported upon the axle of saidcar, a current-collecting device carried by the carbody and makingcontact with said suspended conductor, a flexible motor-circuit carriedon the car-body, connecting the collecting device with the motor, andcurrentrcontrolling de' vices to control the current in saidmotor-circuit.

8. The combination of a railway-track, a suspended conductor arrangedalong said track, a car running upon said track, an electric motorsupported upon the axle of said car, a current-collecting device carriedby the car-body and making contact with said suspended conductor, amotor-circuit carried on the car-body, connecting the collecting devicewith the mot-or, current-controlling de vices to control the current insaid motor-circuit, a translating device on the car-body, independent ofthe motor, and a circuit carried by the car connecting withthe'motor-circuit and coupling the translating device in multiple orshunt relation with the motor.

' 4.. The combination of a railway-track, a Suspended conductor arrangedalong said track, a car running upon said track, an electric motorsupported upon the axle of said car, a current-collecting devicecarriedby the car-body and making contact with said suspended conductor,a motor-circuit carried on the car-body, connecting the collectingdevice with the motor, current-controlling devices to control thecurrent in said motor, a translating device on the car-body, independentof the motor, a circuit carried by the car, connecting with themotor-circuit and coupling the translating device in multiple or shuntrelation with the motor, and separate circuitcontrolling devices for thecircuit of the translating device.

5. The combination of a railway, a suspended electric conductorarrangedalong the railway, a traveling car, an electric motor supported on andcoupled with each axle, an upwardly-extending collector supported on thecarbody, electric motor-circuits leading from the collector to each ofthe motors, and regulating devices for controlling the current flowingthrough the motor.

6. The combination of a railway, a suspended electric conductor arrangedalong the railway, a traveling car having its body supported on'springs,an electric motor supported on and coupled with each axle, anupwardly-extending collector supported on the car-body, electricmotor-circuits leading from the collector to each of the motors, andregulating devices arranged on the end of the carbody for controllingthe current flowing through the motor.

7. The combination of a railway, an electric conductor extending alongthe railway and at a considerable elevation, a car, an electric motorsupported on the axle, an upwardly-extending collector-arm supported bythe car-body, a contact devicecarried by said arm and making a travelingcontact on the under side of the conductor, motor-circuits carried onthe car-body and connecting the collector with the motor, and acurrent-regulator to control the currentin said motor-circuit.

8. The combination of a railway, an electric conductor extending alongthe railway and at a considerable elevation, a car having its bodysupported on the axles by springs, an electric motor supported on theaxle and positively connected thereto independently of the car-body, anupwardlyextending collector-arm supported by the car-body, a contactdevice carried by said arm and making a traveling contact on the underside of the conductor, flexible motor-circuits carried on the car-bodyand connecting the collector with the motor, and acurrentmegulator tocontrol the current in said motor-circuit.

9. The combination of a railway, an electric conductor extending alongthe railway and at a considerable elevation, a car, an

electric motor supported on the axle, an up wardly-extending adjustablecollector-arm supported by the car-body, a contact device carried bysaid arm and making a traveling contact on the under side of theconductor,

motor-circuits carried on the car-body and carried on the car-body andconnecting the collector with the motor, a current-regulator to controlthe current in said motor-circuit, a lighting-circuit on the car inelectrical c011- nection with the motor-circuit, electric lamps in saidcircuit in parallel with the motor, and means to control the current insaid lighting circuit.

11. The combination of a railway, a suspended conductor extending alongsaid railway, a' car having a car-body supported on springs, anupwardly-extending collector-arm supported by the car-body and providedwith a contact device on its free end for making an under contact withthe conductor, a frame supported on the axles independent of thecar-body, a motor supported thereby and mechanically connected with theaxle, and a motor-circuit carried by the car and connecting thecollector with the motor, with provision to permit the rise and fall ofthe car-body without interrupting the motor-circuit.

12. The combination of a railway, a suspended conductor, a car, acollector-arm supported by the car, with provision for verticalmovement, a contact device carried 011 the free end of thecol.lectorarm,making an under moving contact with theconductor, anelectric motor 011 the axle and independent of the collector-arm, and amotor-circuit between the collector and motor.

13. The combination of a railway, a sus pended conductor, a collectorformed of an arm extending upward and making an under contact with theconductor, a motor supported on an axle and adapted to rotate the Wheelsthereof, an elastic connection or frame between the collector and motoror axle, whereby while the motor hasa fixed distance above the rails thecollector may rise and fall, and an electric circuit connecting thecollector with the motor.

In testimony of which invention I have hereunto set my hand.

RUDOLPH M. HUNTER. Witnesses:

Ennnsr HowAnn HUNTER,

T. Ynnxns.

